[ LETTER ]

Adding Billions to the Debt

Published: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 12:03 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 12:03 a.m.

Congress is again faced with the problem of the national debt. The money must be provided to pay for what the Congress has already passed.

The main argument has to do with where the money would come from. Some want new taxes. Some want it to come from cuts in government programs. Congress could find the money needed if they would stop the practice of passing bills with all kinds of amendments attached. Many of these amendments add billions to the debt. In most cases the amendments are not germane to the bills.

They should have to have a vote for each one of the amendments. That way I could know that my congressman voted to give a special break to a certain business.

The recent fiscal cliff tax package had $78 billion in tax breaks to individuals and businesses. Would your lawmaker have voted in a separate bill for each one of these tax breaks?

We might be able to get along without a tax increase if we changed the way amendments are handled.

<p>Congress is again faced with the problem of the national debt. The money must be provided to pay for what the Congress has already passed.</p><p>The main argument has to do with where the money would come from. Some want new taxes. Some want it to come from cuts in government programs. Congress could find the money needed if they would stop the practice of passing bills with all kinds of amendments attached. Many of these amendments add billions to the debt. In most cases the amendments are not germane to the bills.</p><p>They should have to have a vote for each one of the amendments. That way I could know that my congressman voted to give a special break to a certain business.</p><p>The recent fiscal cliff tax package had $78 billion in tax breaks to individuals and businesses. Would your lawmaker have voted in a separate bill for each one of these tax breaks?</p><p>We might be able to get along without a tax increase if we changed the way amendments are handled.</p><p>RUSSELL J. BULLER</p><p>Winter Haven</p>